Island



NTTED sTATEs PATENT oEEicE.

W. COLEMAN AND S. G. COLEMAN, OF PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND.

SUPPORTING THE TOPPING-LIFT AND PEAK-HALYARD BLOCK OF SAIL VESSELS.

Speccaton of Letters Patent No. 9,619, dated March 15, 1853.

To all w/wmt may concern Be it known that we, WILLIAM COLEMAN andSTEPHEN G. COLEMAN, of Providence, in the county of Providence and Stateof Rhode Island, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Fixturesfor Mast- I-Ieads of Navigable Sailing Vessels; and we do hereby declarethat the same is fully described and represented in the followingspecification and the accompanying drawings, letters, figures, andreferences thereof.

Our invention relates to a mode of applying the topping lift shackle andthe peak halyard block to the upper part of a mast.

In Figure 1 of the drawings we have exhibited a side elevation, and inFig. 2 an end elevation of our invention.

In the said figures A represents the upper part of the mast of a sailingvessel.

B is the peak halyard block and C is the topping lift shackle.

Our invention consists in the supporting the topping lift by means of acrane of such form and construction, that when the topping lift sagswhen the sail is hoisted it shall not foul or chafe against the peakhalyard block. It also consists in so arranging and constructing suchcrane that it may also support the peak halyard block substantially asspecified.

In the rst place the said crane is composed in part of a vertical shaftD that is supported in an upright position and made to turnhorizontally7 in bearings or boxes a, b, affixed to the mast. To thelower part of the said shaft a forked arm E is affixed, the shaft beingcarried through and affixed or welded to it so that the arm may rest onthe lower bearing b and constitute a collar or shoulder to support theshaft. The forked arm spreads into two horizontal parts c, d, which areextended between two eye bolts c, f, ixed into the upper end of theblock. A pin or bolt g is carried through the eye bolts and the ends ofthe parts c, d, the whole connecting the block to the parts c, CZ, insuch manner as to enable the said block to turn upward through avertical plane and as though it was hinged to the arms.

From the above it will be seen that as the arin is attached to the shaftD, such block can be moved in a horizontal plane either starboard orlarboard as the case may require. It thus is sustained by a peculiarjoint which always keeps it in its correct position with respect to thegaft underneath-,whatever may be the position of such gaft. The toppinglift shackle C is secured directly to the vertical shaft D, and so as toturn with such shaft and the block. Consequently it will be seen that italways maintains its correct position with respect to the lateralmovements of the gaft. It has been customary heretofore to fasten suchshackle directly on the head of the mast. so that it would be immovable.The topping lift purchase hook that is inserted in such shackle will,when said shackle is so immovably fixed to the mast-so strainand grindinthe shackle as to soon injuriously wear it. S0 with the hook of theblock, it will produce a similar strain and wear on the eye or staplethat is usually fixed in the mast, under the ordinary method of applyingthe block thereto. But by applying the block and the topping liftshackle to the mast by means of the crane, they swing freely andlaterally with the gaft and boom without any such injurious strain andwear, the wear being brought on the journals of the shaft D in suchmanner as to be of little or no account, and of little liability tocreate serious derangement of the parts.

As the common method of connecting the block to the mast is by means ofa hook from the block strap and an eye attached to the mast, when thesail is partly hoisted the block approaches a horizontal position. Underthese circumstances the rope passing over one of the end sheaves of theblock will cant or turn the block so as not only to cause its hook togrind in the eye, but to create wear on the rope and much extra labor inhoisting the sail. The crane obviates these difiiculties. By means of itthe block is preserved at all times in its proper position. The eye atthe mast head when applied in the usual way soon wears by the constantmotion of the vessel and the grinding of the hook in it.

The shackle at the top of the crane is very important. It may be made ofsulficient length to carry the topping lift clear of the peak halyardblock, by which much friction and injury to the topping lift and blockmay be prevented.

lVith the crane there is not that danger of accidents by the breakage ofthe hook while jibbing ship during a sudden change of Wind.

What We claim as our invention is- The supporting the topping lift byineans of a crane of such form and construction, that when the toppinglift sags, When the sail is hoisted, it shall not oul or ehafe againstthe peak halyard block. lVe also claim the so arranging and con- 10strueting such crane that it may also support the peak halyard blocksubstantially as specified.

In testimony whereof We have hereto set om1 signatures, thistwenty-second day of April A. D. 1852.

VILLIAM COLEMAN. STEPHEN G. COLEMAN. Witnesses:

JOSEPH L. PITMAN, NATHAN PORTER.

